Field Botany Experience

Date: April 6th, 2023

Location: Marin Headlands at SCA Trail

Coordinates: 37.83220 (North), -122.48365 (West)

Description: On our next field trip, we headed towards the Marin Headlands located on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge. This location is sandwiched between the waters of the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean. Habitat composition at the location consisted of low coastal hills, scrublands, grasslands, and beaches. Animal species that dominated this area include black-tailed deers, mountain lions, bobcats, foxes and coyotes that were all in hiding. 

Plant Descriptions and Images: 

Family: Saxifragaceae, Genus & Species: Tellima grandiflora (Fringe cups)

This species is a perennial evergreen herb characterized by rhizome roots, sparsely glandular morphology, and moderately hairy stems. Leaves produced on these stems are basal and cauline with a cordate base, ovate tip, and shallowly lobed margin. Each leaf is simple with palmate venation, appears in an alternate growth pattern, and is sparsely covered with trichomes. The inflorescence of the plant is a spike-like raceme that is generally scapose and one-sided with many flowers. Bracts found on the inflorescence are scale-like. Flowers  on the plant are greenish-white to red and have frilly petals that are divided into 5-10 lobes. When you smell the flower, you can pick up a faintly sweet odor that is produced.

Family: Montiaceae, Genus & Species: Claytonia perfoliata (Miner’s lettuce)

This species is an annual deciduous herb characterized by taproots and fleshy leaves that are edible. The leaves of this plant are unique in that they are perfoliate, which is derived from opposite leaves adjoining to form one circular leaf. A slender, delicate stem grows through the middle of the leaf to produce the inflorescence. Due to this morphology, the circular leaf is basal with entire margins and has tips that are rounded to be acute. Inflorescences of this plant are smaller racemes with 1 bract at the base and produce 5-40 flowers. Each flower is small with 2 to 6 millimeter petals that are pink or white in color.

Family: Apiaceae, Genus & Species: Heracleum maximum (Cow Parsnip)

This species is an annual to perennial deciduous herb characterized by taproots, stems that are ribbed, and a strong fragrance. Stems of the plant are also hollow and generally scapose. These stems produce leaves that are basal, pinnately compound, and follow an alternate growth pattern. The “leaves” are round to reniform and have leaflets that are ovate to cordate in shape. Margins of the leaves are lobed and/or coarsely serrate. Inflorescences of the plant are tomentose or long-hair, umbel-like formations that are terminal and have a flat top. Flowers of these inflorescences are small, white, and are produced in large amounts.

iNaturalist Submissions:

1. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165120581
2. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165120739
3. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165120906

Narrative:

On today’s field trip, we had a mock field quiz that took up most of the time. Even though it was a mock field quiz, it was really nerve racking as many of the plants I still did not know and the pace we were moving was really fast. When we got a plant right, the professor gave us candy, which I really liked as it helped me think better by the end of the field quiz. Besides the field quiz, we learned some new plants that I memorized instantly. The common names of the plants are what helped me quickly get them. Mainly blue dicks because I thought the name was hilarious. Hopefully with more practice, I will be able to get the names of the plants as soon as I see them….and win candy of course.

Date: May 7th, 2023

Location: Mount Tamalpais at Ridgecrest Blvd

Coordinates: 37.848763 (North), -122.6373709 (West)

Description:  We returned to Mt. Tamalpais for another eventful field trip, stopping at a different trail that was lower in elevation. This location is closer to Mill Valley in Marin county and proved to be a challenging hike on hills and valleys. Habitat of the region is composed of redwood forests, oak woodlands, open grasslands, and chaparral. Dominant animal species in the area included mountain lions, deer, coyotes, and foxes.

Plant Descriptions and Images: 

Family: Orobanchaceae, Genus & Species: Pedicularis densiflora (Warrior’s plume)

This species is a deciduous perennial herb characterized by hemi-parasite roots, short stature, and soft- to coarse-brown stems with hairs. Leaves produced on the plant are green, simple, and fern-like with an alternate growth pattern. Specifically, these leaves are doubly toothed to lobed and appear in a lance-oblong shape. The inflorescence is a dense, spike-like raceme that produces more lower bracts compared to flowers. Each flower has straight, club-like petals that are a deep red to red-purple in color and are generally minutely hairy. The upper lip of the petals are longer and hooded, while the lower lip is shorter and equally lobed.

Family: Iridaceae, Genus & Species: Sisyrinchium bellum (Blue eyed grass)

This species is a perennial evergreen herb characterized by rhizome roots, leaves with parallel venation, and a clump-forming growth habit. Stems on the plant are generally tufted and usually only produce one leaf-bearing node. The leaves that grow from these nodes are a gray-green color, are simple with an alternate growth pattern, and are linear with entire margins. Since this plant is a monocot, the leaves are narrow, long, and sword shaped with a glabrous surface. Inflorescences of these plants are umbel-like with translucent margins of inner bract wider just below the tip. When the flowers bloom, they appear as six-stellate flowers clumped together. Colors of these flowers range from blue to violet to white and have tips that are truncated to notched. Individual flowers only live one day, but are produced in great quantities.

Family: Orobanchaceae, Genus & Species: Castilleja foliolosa (Woolly paintbrush)

This species is a deciduous perennial herb characterized by semi-parasite roots, a lack of chlorophyll, and many felt-like hairs on the stems that are white to gray in color. Stems sprouted from this plant are short with axillary shoots present. Similar to the stems, the leaves are white or gray in color and are reduced to fleshy scales. These leaves are generally simple with obtuse tips and grow in an alternate pattern. Inflorescences of this plant are spike-like with lobed bracts that are an orange-red color. Flowers that make up these inflorescences are a similar orange-red color, are puberlent with pale margins and have a shorter lower lip.

iNaturalist Submissions:

1. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165110147
2. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165110339
3. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165110576

Narrative:

Today was my final makeup field trip with my dad. The ride back up to Mt. Tamalpais was long, but by now I was enjoying longer transportation rides. When we got to the site, there were two entrances that led to the trail, so similar to San Pedro Valley Park, we just picked a random one. While walking through the woodland, a theater company was practicing Into the Woods in a giant amphitheater. It was very funny to me that they were singing “into the woods” while we were walking into the woods. The music was nice to listen to while my dad and I were searching and identifying plants. However, we were only able to find a few plants by eye in the couple of hours we were there. Many of the plants were no longer blooming, so it was harder for me to identify them with the seek app. Overall, it was good practice and nice to get some fresh air after spending so much time studying for classes.

Date: April 8th, 2023

Location: Pacifica, CA – San Pedro Valley Park in San Mateo County

Coordinates: 37.5738267 (North), -122.4705309 (West)

Description: The park at San Pedro has five trails that are hidden in redwood and eucalyptus trees nicely settled on the Santa Cruz mountain range. Located in this area are vast chaparral hillsides with beautiful views of valleys and the Pacific Ocean. Habitat composition was complex and consisted of chaparral, coastal shrub, mixed forests, and grasslands. Animals that made up the wildlife population consisted of red-tailed hawks, scrub jays, garter snakes, and mountain lions not seen on the trip.

Plant Descriptions and Images: 

Family: Solanaceae, Genus & Species: Solanum umbelliferum (Blue witch)

This species is a deciduous perennial herb characterized by woody branches, a wider plant width than height, and dense hairs covering the plant.  Housed on these branches are simple, pinnate leaves that have an elliptic to obviate shape and simple margins. The leaves are greenish in color and grow in an alternate pattern. Inflorescences of the plant form an umbel-like shape with some of the stems appearing forked. Each flower has five lavender to blue-purple petals that are fused together into a saucer shape. A pattern of green nectar glands on a white background can be seen inside the base of the flower. To complement this pattern is a cone formed by yellow stamens.

Family: Boraginaceae, Genus & Species: Cynoglossum grande (Houndstongue)

This species is a perennial evergreen herb characterized by large taproots and erect, glabrous stems with abaxially hairy leaves. During its first growing year, the plant produces simple pinnate leaves that grow basally around the stems in an alternate pattern. Each leaf is a dark green color that has entire margins and an ovate to elliptic shape that becomes truncated at the base. The inflorescence formation of this plant appears as panicle-like cymes that develop above the leaves and grow terminal flowers. Similar to other species in the forget-me-not family, the petals on the flower are a unique violet color with blue lobes. The flowers have five petals that are deeply lobed and are silverform in shape.

Family: Melanthiaceae, Genus & Species: Trillium albidum (Giant white wakerobin)

This species is a deciduous perennial herb characterized by a low growing stature, rhizome roots, and petal coloring that resembles the abdomen of a bee. Leaves on this plant are sessile, large with a 12-15 centimeter width, and have a round-obtuse shape at the tip. The color of the leaves can range from brown- to green-spotted and look like a triangle from an aerial view of the plant. Similar to the leaves, the flowers are sessile and have spreading sepals that are lanceolate in shape. Petals on the flower are erecting to ascending with an oblanceolate to obovate shape and are white in color. When you smell the flower, it gives off an odor that is generally sweet or spicy.

iNaturalist Submissions:

1. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165106656
2. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165106315
3. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165106847

Narrative:

The field trip today was my first makeup field trip. My dad drove me down to San Pedro Valley park on a beautiful sunny day. We were able to find the entrance to the park just fine, but we did not know which trail to take when we got situated. It was a gamble, but we picked a random trail on the right side of the park. Since it was much later in the year, I was having a harder time finding the plants on the list. Some of the plants were either not on the trail we picked or were just not blooming anymore when we went. We spent hours trying to find at least five different plants, but we were able to find a variety of families that gave me something interesting. Slowly, I was able to memorize and learn the different plants based on their morphological characteristics. Even though the trip was not as exciting as when I was with the class, I was still able to get some good practice in. At the end of the trip, my dad took me to the fancy Taco Bell located on the beach, which was a great way to celebrate our findings.

Date: February 23rd, 2023

Location: San Francisco, CA – Presidio – Batteries to Bluffs Trail

Coordinates: 37.7973617 (North), -122.4793445 (West)

Description: The Battery to Bluffs Trail is a 2.3-mile long hike that loops along the West shore of San Francisco. It has beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean, Baker’s beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge as you walk along the cliffs. The natural life and ecosystem composition found on the trail includes springs, coastal plants, rocky serpentine cliffs, bounties of bright flora, and trees like the Monterey cypress.

Plant Descriptions and Images: 

Family: Apocynaceae, Genus & Species: Vinca major (Vinca)

This species is a perennial evergreen herb characterized by rhizomatous roots, trailing vines, and glabrous leaves that produce a milky juice. Its stems are woody and slender that can spread from 2-5 meters and grow 50-70 centimeters high. Due to its morphology and growth traits, it was introduced to North America as an ornamental plant used for groundcover. The leaves of the vinca are a glossy dark green color with a leathery texture and have entire margins that are distinctly ciliate. Generally, the shape of the leaves range from ovate to ovate-lanceolate and have an opposite formation. Flowers usually bloom in early spring to autumn and are solitary, with up to 4 flowers per stem. They appear bluish-purple in color, have calyx’s that are lobed and ciliate, and have short bristles on their margins.

Family: Fabaceae, Genus & Species: Lupinus chamissonis (Beach blue lupine)

This species is a perennial evergreen shrub characterized by long taproots, legume fruit and silvery stems that are densely hairy. It is a short-lived perennial and sometimes does not bloom until it’s second growth year. The stem of the plant is erect and striated, home to palmately compound leaves organized in an alternating formation. Each leaflet is 10 to 25 millimeters in length, with 5 to 9 leaflets making up one “leaf”. Inflorescences found on the plant have spiky racemes that are 4 to 10 inches tall and possess flowers that are whorled and deciduous. Specifically, each flower has a bract 7 to 10 millimeters in length and present a calyx that is 5 to 7 millimeters on the upper lip and 7 to 9 millimeters on the lower lip. In appearance, the flowers are deeply lobed with entire margins, develop petals that range from light violet to blue in color and have banners that are densely hairy while the keels are variably glabrous. These plants are nitrogen-fixers and work to improve the soil that they are planted in. 

Family: Rosaceae, Genus & Species: Rubus ursinus (California blackberry)

This species is a deciduous perennial shrub characterized by extensive climbing vines, slender stems armed with many bristles, and generally dioecious growing behaviors. Stems of the plant are covered with a white waxy bloom, appear glabrous to hairy, and possess stalked glands at the tips persisting for 2 years. When it comes to the leaves, they are simple or pinnately compound with 3 to 5 leaflets, arranged in an alternate formation, and are sparsely to densely hairy. Margins of the leaves are irregularly coarse-toothed with a triangular-ovate shape at the bottom and acute shape at the top. In the fall, the leaves will change color from dark green to red. Inflorescence patterns of the flowers appear in a cyme formation. The flowers of the plant are generally unisexual with long, slender styles and glabrous to hairy ovaries. Each flower is white in color with an elliptic to round shape and hairy sepals.

iNaturalist Submissions:

1. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165089431
2. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165089702
3. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/165089938

Narrative:

The field trip up to the Presidio was my first field experience in the semester. It was colder and cloudy, not making for a very enjoyable day. However, the walk through the trail was beautiful. Since it was technically considered to be the second field trip, my classmates were already able to guess some plant species that I had never heard of. That didn’t bring me down too much though since I was very invested in taking the best notes and making sure my pictures were clear. At the start of our walk, it started to hail really hard. There were some times the professor was not able to explain the plant species to use without getting interrupted by hard hail and our laughter. I also saw a banana slug on the trail, which in addition to the hail, made the field trip really fun. By the end of the field trip, I was really tired as I was out of shape and going up and down hills did not help. Overall though, my first field trip was a great experience.